Semua Bab The Alpha's Moon Marked Luna: Bab 41 - Bab 50

GavenThe mark is not a symbol. That is the lie everyone tells because it’s easier than the truth.It is not ceremony or pageantry. It is not proof for a restless pack that needs something visible to believe in. A mark is binding, tethering one soul to another. It rewrites instincts, reshapes the way the world feels under your skin.And Fern is not ready for that.I repeat the thought like a mantra as I stand alone in the training hall long after dawn, my hands braced on the railing, watching the mist burn off the grounds below. Wolves move through drills in practiced rhythm, snarls rising into the air, and claws slashing against flesh. They are everything that I have worked for. Order. Control. Lines that make sense.Inside my chest, everything is chaos.Riddick paces, restless and sharp, claws scraping against the inside of my ribs like he is trying to escape.‘You’re wrong,’ he says for the tenth time. ‘She’s stronger than you think.’‘She is strong,’ I reply silently. ‘That’s

FernI don’t mean to leave my room. That’s the lie I tell myself as Justin leans against the doorframe, arms crossed, with a crooked smile on his face like he’s already won.“Come on,” he says. “One night.”“I don’t play,” I reply, tugging the blanket tighter around my shoulders. “Anything.”“That’s perfect,” he says. “Neither did half the table the first time.”I eye him suspiciously. “I don’t play poker.”He grins. “There is a first time for everything.”I blink. “Absolutely not.”Justin laughs. “That was faster than I expected.”“I don’t have money,” I add, as if that seals it.He waves a hand. “I’ll cover you.”“That makes it worse,” I groan.“Only if you lose.”I study his face. He’s sincere, annoyingly so, and there’s no pity there, just a genuine desire to pull me out of my head and into something normal. Something fun.The silence stretches.“One night,” he says again, softer. “No pressure. If you hate it, I’ll walk you back myself.”I exhale. I don’t want to say yes, but I

FernI wait in the corridor, not caring who might see us or who might witness the fight between us. I am tired of hiding the truth of what is between us or the lies. I can’t be sure which is which at this point. All I know is that if he doesn’t answer me, I will walk away from Alpha Gaven and never look back. My foot taps on the floor, and my arms cross over my chest, like they can save me from what he is about to say. His mouth opens and shuts, like he is unable to form the words that he needs to tell me the truth. He doesn’t answer with words. He answers by kissing me.The world narrows to the press of his mouth against mine. It is firm, desperate, and unmistakably sure. There’s no hesitation in it, no restraint. He pours everything he’s been holding back into the kiss: the ache, the fear, the want, the certainty. His hands frame my face like he’s afraid I’ll disappear if he lets go.I gasp against his mouth, and his tongue seizes the opportunity. His tongue dips into my mo

GavenThe light doesn’t vanish all at once. It recedes slowly, like a tide pulling back from the shore, leaving the room hushed and humming with something I can’t name. My heart is pounding hard enough that I can feel it in my throat. I keep my body perfectly still, afraid that if I move too quickly, whatever is plaguing Fern will shatter and she will be hurt forever.Fern’s body trembles beneath me. Her eyes are closed, and there is color in her cheeks, but it doesn’t make me believe that she is alive. “Fern,” I whisper, my voice hoarse.Her lashes flutter. Her breath comes in shallow pulls, chest rising and falling unevenly. I slide an arm beneath her shoulders, cradling her carefully, pressing my forehead to her temple as if I can anchor her here through sheer will alone. I fear that I have lost her, and I finally understand why my father fell apart. Living without Fern by my side is not a possibility or an option. “Stay with me,” I murmur. “I’ve got you.”The shaking eases.

FernMorning comes slowly, and I wait to open my eyes. Not because I’m afraid. Not because something hurts, but because my body feels… different.Stronger, first of all. That’s the easiest thing to name. The dull aches I’ve carried for so long. The little reminders of old injuries and long nights are gone. When I stretch, there’s no sharp protest from my ribs, no tightness in my shoulders. My muscles respond smoothly, like they’ve always known how to move this way and are only just being allowed to.I inhale deeply. The air feels fuller, sharper. Like I can taste the morning.And beneath all of that, there’s a quiet awareness humming through me. It feels like something has awoken, but I am not ready to give it a name. Not yet. Gaven’s arm is wrapped around my waist, holding me close to him like he is afraid I might disappear. I’m tucked against his chest, my back fitting into him as if my body has learned his shape overnight. His breathing is slow and even, his chin resting light